The Way of the Wanderer

Reading Time: 5 minutes

Guest Post by Paul Hillman

My mission:

“You must assist people using what they understand. Simple ideas for simple minds. Young things for young people, something fun, imaginative, maybe even a little silly. More complex ideas for highly intelligent people. Realistic things for people who are struggling.

“What you say must appeal to what they want or need at that exact moment. It has to offer them a solution to the problem they are experiencing. Then, people will respond and grow into a healthier, more spiritual life.”

“But how will I know what to say, Master?” I asked.

“You will know. Listen to your heart. Relax and let me flow through you and become what that person needs. If you can do that, I will provide them with what they need, not necessarily what they want.”

Susie

The wanderer walked along the sidewalk in a poor section of town, enjoying the sunny skies, the gentle breeze, and the smell of the evergreens, maples, and oaks lining the street. The houses behind the small squares of lawn were vintage clapboard homes. The visage of lives lived under their roofs lingered like memories. The neighborhood was old but still serviceable.

As he walked closer to a small, unkempt house with flaking white paint and holey screens on the small, cramped windows, he saw a young girl, maybe four years old, playing on the lawn. She had dirty blonde hair and bright blue eyes and wore a faded blue pullover blouse and scuffed-up jeans.

The grass and weeds were nearly as tall as her as she sat playing with a small doll. A few steps closer, he could hear her admonishing the doll.

“You have to stay here and be good, or the bad people will come and take you away. You want to stay here with mommy, don’t you? Then be good and stop crying!” She shook the doll, then quickly hugged it. She looked very sad.

He stopped at the walkway leading to the house, smiled as cheerfully as he could, and spoke very softly. “I have a little girl like you.”

She grabbed her doll and clutched it to her as she jumped up and scurried back to the ramshackle porch. She stared at him with a worried expression. “I’m not s’posed to talk to strangers.”

“That’s a good idea. You shouldn’t get too close to strangers.” The wanderer sat on the sidewalk facing her, tucking his feet under him in lotus style to make him about her height. “My name is Steve. What’s your name?”

“Susie.” She stopped frowning but held the doll like he would try to take it from her.

“Hello, Susie. Who is that you are holding so tightly?”

“Dolly.”

“She is like you – very pretty. Does she ever talk with you?”

Susie shook her head.

“She doesn’t?” he said in a surprised tone. “My granddaughter’s doll always talks to me.”

“She does?” Susie’s eyes got very large.

“Oh, yes. Of course, you have to know how to talk to your doll. But you already know her name and everything, so I’m sure she will talk with you if you want her to.”

Susie held the doll away from her and looked at it with new eyes. Then she looked back at Steve. “How do you get her to talk?”

“Well, that’s a very good question. You’re very bright. Why don’t you sit on the porch steps, and I’ll tell you how.”

Susie sat, holding Dolly on her lap, and looked at him with anticipation.

“Well, you should start with something easy. Ask her what her name is.”

Susie frowned at Steve, then looked at Dolly with a scowl. “I know her name.”

“Yes, I know, but we want her to tell you.”

She frowned even more and held Dolly in front of her. Her eyes bore into Dolly’s eyes for a minute. “She won’t tell me,” Susie said in a disappointed tone.

“She didn’t?” he said, surprised. “I heard her all the way over here.”

Susie looked up at him, also surprised. “She did?”

“Yes! Of course, you have to listen very hard using your imagination.”

“What’s mag-nation?”

“Did you ever wonder what it would be like to fly like a bird?” he said as a Finch flew between them and landed on the lawn to his right.

She looked at the bird and then nodded.

“Ever wonder what it would be like to be a cloud?” He pointed at the white, fluffy clouds overhead.

Susie looked at the clouds, then back at him, and nodded.

“That’s imagination. It’s seeing, feeling, or hearing something in your mind! You can explore the world, go to outer space, be a cat in the morning, and be on the moon as you go to sleep at night. How would you like to be a cat?”

Susie laughed and nodded excitedly. 

“Me too! Close your eyes and see a cat.” He gave her a few seconds. “What color is it?”

“It’s gold.”

“I see it, too! It has some darker stripes and bright stripes, right?”

“Yes, and gold-brown eyes.”

“Can you pet her? Will she stand still so you can pet her?”

Susie laughed. “No… she has to move and rub herself on my hand.”

“She’s purring! Can you hear her?”

Susie nodded as she moved her hand like it was petting the cat.

“Now, what if you are that cat? Would you purr?”

Susie sat still and stopped moving her hand. Then she hunched her back like a cat would do to let someone pet it. Then she hummed as she moved her head around.

“I can hear you purring! You are so good at being a cat! You are imagining, and you do it so well.”

Susie’s cat enjoyed being petted and purring for several minutes. Then she stopped moving and sat up. “She had to go find something to eat.”

“That’s good. Wave goodbye.” Susie waved. “Now look at your doll.”

She opened her eyes and took the doll from her lap, looking at her anew.

“Ask her what her name is?”

Susie smiled and held the doll up before her face. “What’s your name?” A second later, she laughed out loud. “Dolly!”

“I heard her all the way over here!”

Susie hugged her doll and looked at Steve with loving eyes.

“Susie, from now on, you can do things with Dolly, and she will talk with you about them. You can watch TV, go for a nap, eat lunch, or just lay on the grass and watch the clouds. She will be there for you all the time. You have a loving friend and will never be alone again.

“In fact, you can imagine anything and share it with Dolly. Isn’t that wonderful?”

Susie laughed out loud, then jumped up and ran down the sidewalk to Steve, threw her arms around his neck, and hugged him.

“Thank you, Steve.”

“Thank you, Susie. You made an old man very happy.”

Paul Hillman has been an accountant, business manager, and small business owner for most of his life. He served as CFO or Controller for some of the largest companies in Oregon.

After retiring, Paul published two novels in the Charlie Smythington Mystery series, “A Phone to Kill For” and “Mind Control,” through Sync Publishing Inc. Sync is also publishing “Atlantis Ends” – a trilogy of science fiction adventure novels in 2024. He is hard at work on Charlie’s third novel, a follow-up Atlantis Ends trilogy, and a dystopian novel based on environmental catastrophe. His books are available on Amazon or any online bookstore.

Please note: Images are for illustration purposes only unless otherwise specified. Any resemblance to actual persons, either living or dead, is purely coincidental.